Another: Dates
by Bashabuttonstories
Summary: After the calamity, and grieving over his friends, Kouchi decides to ask his crush out. KouichixMei


**A/N: There are almost no romance fics between Misaki Mei and Kouchi Sakakibara. Sooooo I decided to make one. Please enjoy! Set after Season 1, Please be a season 2! There has been an OVA last august though, which was awesome. I also wanted to try a first person fic, as all my fics have been third person so far. Please review! **

Please note that I started writing this a long time ago, so the quality may change halfway through.

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**Chapter 1**

Mei...

From the moment I met you, you interested me. The timid girl at the back, who never spoke a word. I thought at first you were bullied and attempted to speak with you. Of course, that was the worst mistake I ever made...But at the same time, it wasn't. I got to know you better, got to like you better. Now this is all over... I can finally let these boxed up feelings free, in one simple question. Will you go out with me?

I finished my breakfast and waved goodbye to my grandparents. I checked my watch, Today marks 9 months since the calamity ceased, I thought as I headed out toward Mei's house. Her mother was out, so I could visit her withing the next week or so. I had grown to love those dolls, as peculiar as they were. The doll her twin sister requested sat in a new frame, for Misaki was engraved underneath. Of course, the real doll had stayed with her in her coffin, this was a replica, simply existing for her memory.

I pivoted on my heels at the doll shop doorstep. My big blue padded coat protected me from the blasting wind of December, it was a very cold winter, the end of 1998, I thought. I then quickly knocked on the door with my black wool gloves. Mei opened it shortly after, and with her cold and almost blank expression, allowed me inside.

I knew she had feelings for me, in a friendly way, she just had difficulty showing it. Especially after her sisters death.

"Tea?" She asked, I followed her upstairs.

"Yes thanks. You know how I like it."

"Yes. I do." She entered the kitchen and grabbed two mugs. I sat in my usual place on the sofa, warming up my chilled hands and feet. Mei came in shortly after, two steaming mugs.

"I'm going to the graveyard today. You don't have to come... But... Maybe... A little comfort would be nice." Normally she would push me away, and only if she allowed me would I come, but for her to ask for me to accompany her, not only that, as comfort? This wasn't something I was used to.

"I'm always here for you Mei. If you would allow me to come, I will." I nodded and smiled at her,

"You almost make me want to get out there and have friends, almost." She winked her real eye. My eyes focused on the white eye patch.

"You don't have to wear that eye patch around me. I think your eye is beautiful." I said.

"I know... I'm... I'll tell you some other time." Mei led the way out after finishing our tea, her expression changing from friendly and happy to blank once she stepped out of the door. Such a shame she feels she has to act like this, I thought, She's so perfect...

"H-hey, what do you think you're googling at." Mei said, cold as ice.

"Ah-Ah!" I flailed my arms in the air. "I was thinking about something and I must've not realised I was looking at you? Sorry Mei." I scratched the back of my head. I kept using Mei, she preferred that. No matter how many times she said she didn't mind using her sister's name that she shared with her, you could see it hurt.

"It's fine. You can't see anything under this trench coat anyway." She wore a long black trench coat with red fabric on the inside. It matched her style well and complimented her, at least in my eyes. Her black leggings contrasted the snow, in fact, she was completely covered from head to tow in black. Black shoes, black coat, black leggings and of course her straight and beautiful black hair.

"Is the black for mourning?" I asked, impulsively.

"No. I just like black... My sister liked when I wore black..." She might of considered telling me what happened to her sister if I pressed... But I thought it was best to let it slide.

"So... Are we gonna start walking?" I asked.

"Sure." She led on, normally making me catch up, but this time she waited, even if it was just for a split second, before walking ahead. I leaped on the opportunity and walked beside her.

"It's just not the same without Izumi and the others... I miss them." I kicked the snow with my boot.

"Yeah...I'm the quiet one at the back no one talks to but... It's not the same. You're right." I saw something I'd never seen in Mei before, a flicker, a flicker of a smile decorated her expression as she looked up at me. Smiling.

"Hey, that's it. You can smile!" I exclaimed.

Instead of turn in away like I thought she would, she continued to smile.

"Only-only for you, Sakakibara."

"Th-thanks Mei." I blushed awkwardly.

"Look, I know I'm cold... I don't want to be but it's just who I am. I don't like crowds and socialisation. I've never even had any relationship with anyone other than my sister, until you came." She sighed.

"I know. It's something I like about you Mei, you aren't like other girls, always in groups and talking about boys. You're cute, timid and at heart, kind. Even if you appear cold, on the inside, you're as warm as they get." Oh god, that was cheesy.

"Th-thanks..." Mei flicked her hair over her ear. "I don't wear this eye patch anymore you know... only around you... I'm just scared I'm going to take it off and see the colours of death, lingering around you. I've felt that before, I took it off one night when I was with my sister, only to see the colours of death around her. I cried myself to sleep... I can't imagine that happening again."

"It's ok. There won't be anything hovering around me, take it off, it's beautiful." I lift the straps and the timid girl in front of me flinched, then nodded as I pulled the eye patch off. She scrunched up her eyes, slowly peeking, once satisfied she allowed her eyelids to open fully revealing the blue/green doll eye.

"See, no colour of death... Right?"

Mei sighed, "No...I like you Kouchi... I don't want to have to see my crush die..." Mei said, the reddest I'd ever seen her, she twirled lightly and all was silent but for the sound of the wind.

I gulped.

"I-I like you too Mei... I have since I met you... Truth is, after going to visit your sister I was going to... I was going to ask you out. So um... Will you... Will you go out with me?"

Mei stumbled back slightly, gripping her heart. She had never had a best friend before me, now she was asked to be in a relationship. Her face flushed red as I stood with my hands held behind my back.

"Y-yes." She said, almost inaudibly.

"Really?"

"Yes." It was much clearer this time.

"G-great!... I didn't really think it out this far... Want to go get something to eat in the cafe down the road?"

"After paying my respects, yes."

"Of course." I opened my hand, requesting her palm to fill the empty space hovering above it. She hesitated and hovered her hand over my palm, she eventually made contact. The warmth surged through my hand, I had wanted this for so long now, since the end of the calamity.

Mei instantly looked away, blood rushing to her cheeks, she showed me a side of her I didn't even know existed. "Hey, if it's embarrassing I don't mind taking it slow..." I said, trying to get her to look my way.

"No, it's fine... I've never done anything like this."

"Me neither." I squeezed her hand gently and she managed to show me her face.

~The grave.

She was depressed. I could see it in her eyes. It had almost been a year since Misaki's death. It must have been torture as she stood before her sister's grave. I stood by, silently paying my respects. She eventually turned to me, nodded and took my hand. I bowed to the grave and squeezed her hand gently.

"I should have brought flowers."

"No, no. It's fine. It's not you who needs to be paying the respects." She sighed. "Thank you... Kouchi. Thank you for coming with me."

"H-hey. No problem!" I grinned. It was the wrong thing to do at such a place, and at such a time, but I did it anyway. Luckily Mei didn't seem to notice.

"Do you... Want to go see Izumi's grave?"

"S-sure... Do you want to? It's just that... You two didn't get along..."

"I don't mind if you want to... You two had something right?"

I widened my eyes in shock. "E-Eh? No! We were just... Good friends."

"Oh! Really?" She bowed. "Sorry Kouchi."

"It's fine! I... Uh... Sure! Let's go see the grave. And all of our other friends who fell to the calamity."

"O-ok." Again, I squeezed her hand, and led her to each of our friends graves, one by one, paying our respects.

After we finally left, and trying our tears, we made our way to the cafe down the street.

"Two coffees please Carol." I said to my friend.

"No problem Kouchi! You finally asked Mei out?" She pointed to our intertwined hands. I blushed like crazy.

"Y-Yes..." I replied, and she winked, then walked off.

"You were talking to her about me?"

"O-only for advice?!" Mei giggled.

"You're so... Cute..." She smiled again.

"I think you've broke the all time record for the amount of times you have smiled." I grinned happy she was opening up to me.

"S-shut up Kouchi. You're making me blush..."

"Why? Your smile is beautiful." Damn. That was really cheesy.

Mei didn't reply, she just looked down slightly.

"Sorry... I'm making this awkward..." I said, wondering what to say.

"N-no you aren't! I'm just... Not used to... This. I haven't been in a coffee shop since my sister passed away."

"Oh... Well... I guess I haven't got used to my aunt's death yet... So I understand."

"Really? She died almost a year ago..."

Aw, damn. No one remembers the dead person...

"Ah! Right." Can I tell her? No. We shouldn't talk about the calamity. "It doesn't matter."

"Why didn't you ask me out sooner?" Mei smiled... Blushing slightly.

"Bec-because I was scared... Mainly..."

"Aw, you... You could have... I probably would have said yes..."

"Well. Um... Thank you. Mei."

We both grinned at each other, then our coffees arrived.

"So... We're finally out of that class. We're safe... But since we know how to stop the calamity... We should probably take responsibility."

"But how? Just go around killing random kids?"

"No. We use our intellect... Or your eye." I hated saying that, hated using her eye as a tool, but it was the safest way. "Sorry... I hate you your eye as a tool but... It's the safest way."

"I don't mind Kouchi. If it saves lives."

"Right." I took a sip of the coffee, it was too hot and it burnt my tongue. "Ow ow ow ow ow!"

Mei burst out laughing. "It's hot silly!"

"Yeah, I figured." We both laughed.

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**A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Please leave a review!**


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